Hamilton to celebrate Earth Hour in Garden Place

Hamilton residents and businesses are urged to switch off for an hour this Saturday [26 March] as the city takes part in the global Earth Hour initiative.

Aimed at raising public awareness of environmental issues, Earth Hour will see hundreds of millions of people around the world turn off their lights and non-essential appliances for an hour from 8.30pm on Saturday.

Hamilton mayor Julie Hardaker said that with the theme for Earth Hour 2011 being ‘go beyond the hour’, residents are encouraged to not only take action for the duration of Earth Hour but also identify steps that they can take to be more environmentally responsible in their daily lives.

“Earth Hour 2011 aims to prompt people to make long-term sustainable changes to the way they live, which is also something that Council encourages with the Hamilton ‘Know It, Live It’ programme,” she said.

“These changes can be as simple as turning off the lights when you leave a room, switching to energy efficient light bulbs, sorting your recyclables from your refuse collection or using reusable shopping bags instead of plastic bags when you go shopping.”

In the lead-up to Earth Hour, on Saturday morning from 8am-10am More FM’s Stu and Toast will be broadcasting live from the Mayor’s office on the 9th floor of the Municipal Building, with Mayor Hardaker as their guest co-host.

From 2pm, members of the public can write an environmental pledge and hang it on the Earth Hour pledge tree in Garden Place. The first 200 people on the day to complete the pledge and also sign up to the ‘Know It, Live It’ programme will receive a free Kowhai tree.

At 8.25pm that evening Hamilton mayor Julie Hardaker will make an address, before the official countdown to Earth Hour at 8.30pm. At this time street lighting in Garden Place, Hood Street and a section of Victoria Street, and on Victoria St Bridge will be switched off, and the public will be treated to a range of entertainment in Garden Place, including fire dancers, Cook Island drummers and Cellophonics by candlelight.

For safety reasons under-verandah lighting will remain on during this period.

A number of central city businesses will also be getting behind the event by offering customers special Earth Hour initiatives such as candlelit dinners.

Residents who opt to stay home for the evening can also take part in Earth Hour by turning off their lights and other non-essential appliances for the hour, while businesses are encouraged to switch off their lighting for this period if possible.

Hamilton was first involved in Earth Hour in 2009, when strong public support saw the city record a 10.3% reduction in power usage during this period. Last year Hamilton was the first New Zealand city to register their involvement with the Earth Hour initiative.

Visit www.hamilton.co.nz/EarthHour for more information.